See this article from the June 3 NYT, “MySpace No Longer Their Space?” Basically, the article reports that, while MySpace is still enormously popular, its use has fallen off since April. Blamed in the article are the fact that MySpace is “going corporate” (Ruppert Murdoch bought it a while back) and is thus no longer a “cool” activity for teens; users are realizing that it might not be a good idea in the long-term to post drunk pictures of themselves; and users are starting to realize that it’s annoying to browse web sites that blare bad music at you and that are cluttered with eyeball-numbing graphics. (I’m paraphrasing here).
That is the exact reason I don’t get on there a lot. When the first story broked in april or may about the new ads, I copied and pasted the entire thing and sent a bulletin to all my “friends”. I’ve actually done a few write ups my self about myspace and employment issues. My girlfriends professor went as far as coming to class and telling them what each one had on their profiles.
I think some people forget what the term “public” domains means.
My guess is a lot of Myspace’s coolness came from its relative obscurity. That’s gone, so it’s uncool. Like when Nirvana released “Smells Like Teen Spirit…”
I think that’s right. Bradley.
Though I also like to think that at least a part of it– maybe a small part, but at least a part– has to do with certain “literacy” skills that MySpace users gained. Two that come to mind are a) they figured out that, ultimately, all the crap on MySpace (music, graphics that make text impossible to read, etc.) make it kind of annoying, and b) it might not be a great idea to post half-naked drunk pictures of yourself on the Internet.
But I freely admit that might be wishful thinking.
Given the fact that Chicago schools are going to begin punishing students for blogging in MySpace, I’m not sure if they did learn…..
I think people might also be finding how awkward and problematic it is to actually COMMUNICATE on MySpace. One can put up photos of oneself and big personal advertisements about searching for soulmates who like walking on the beach and “World of Warcraft,” but when it comes to interaction, the format is clunky and confusing. I hope its decrease in popularity indicates an increased desire in young people to have more meaningful interactions, but I know that’s even MORE idealistic.
well, it all pretty much boils to nothing since most of internet uses corporate money for funding (especially the independent ones). System has to be changed from within. There’s no chance for an alternative internet, we have to use existing facilities because revolution depends on masses and masses will always follow mainstream. Internet beauty (faul) stays in its anonimity and since it is a public domain it can (is) used as instrument of mass control and there’s no point in talking of big brother myspace if we all owe email addresses that can be (are) monitored. We are cogs of the system and however out of place it may sound love is the only thing that will be instrumental in changing the world (including internet) for the better…think ;)